Microneedles with Encapsulated Drug Molecules

Microneedles with Encapsulated Drug Molecules

Submitted by Peter DeMuth of the Hammond and Irvine Labs at the Koch Institute

MIT Department of Biological Engineering, MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Koch Institute at MIT, MIT Department of Chemical Engineering

Peter DeMuth
Hammond and Irvine Labs, Koch Institute
Confocal Micrograph

"The image shows an array of polymer microneedles encapsulating various colored ‘drug’ molecules.  The purpose of this type of imaging is to characterize the microneedles following fabrication.  In this application, imaging allows for visualization of the fairly complex structure of the microneedles for correlation of structural features to performance in terms of skin penetration, base dissolution, and effective tip implantation in vivo.  Be correlating the results of microneedle structure characterization with performance we can start to understand trends that will help optimize the microneedle structure and fabrication approach for the application we desire.

The overall goal is to create a microneedle platform capable of providing sustained and controlled release of drugs/vaccines following a rapid, convenient, and safe topical application to the skin."

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